Projectile hypodermic syringes



Dec. 19, 1967 c. A. MURDOCH 3,358,685

PROJECTILE HYPODERMIC SYRINGES Filed NOV. 10, 1964 F|G.4 FIG.2

FIG.3

United States Patent thee 3,358,685 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 3,358,685PROJECTILZE HYPQDERMIC SYRINGES Colin A. Murdoch, 14A Hassel St, Timaru,South Island, New Zealand' Filed Nov. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 410,058 Claimspriority, application New Zealand, Nov. 18, 1963, 136,579 6 Claims. (Cl.128-215) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSURE A projectile for injecting liquidmedicines and the like into animals in which the body is divided intoanterior and posterior portions for receiving a liquid medicine andactuating means, respectively by a piston of resilient material. Aclosure for the end of the anterior portion is provided with an axialbore having a hollow needle positioned therein for axial movement. Avalve means functions to close the bore for preventing communicationbetween the anterior portion and the interior of the hollow needle, andthe actuating means within the posterior portion normally urging thepiston in the direction of the closure and maintaining the anteriorportion under pressure.

This invention relates to projectile hypodermic syringes and moreparticularly to valve means for the controlling of the injection ofliquid drugs or medicines or the like from such a projectile into ananimal to be treated.

In describing this invention the valve means will be described as beingin association with a projectile as described in my copendingapplication Serial No. 238,448, now Patent No. 3,205,157 dated September21, 1965, which, inter alia discloses a body of a hollow cylindricalformation, a piston dividing the body into anterior and posteriorportions, and a valve means.

The preferred form of the actuating means for the piston is a gascompressed within the posterior portion of the body urging the pistontowards the end of the anterior portion of the body but any form of theactuating means described in my beforementioned application may beutilized.

In the preferred form of the valve means disclosed in and claimed inclaim 22 (as per the 3-1 endment filed at the United States PatentOffice on February 6, 1964) of my said application Serial No. 238,448,now Patent No. 3,205,157 dated September 21, 1965, the valve means isactuated upon the rearward movement of the needle which penetrates therubber disc by way of the slit and allows the passage of the liquidcontents of the anterior portion through the bore of the needle.

While this method of operation of the valve means has proved perfectlysatisfactory when the projectile is projected in the lower speed rangeit has been found that when such a projectile has been projected in thehigher speed range, the high initial acceleration of the projectilecaused the needle to move rearwardly of the projectile and open thevalve means thus allowing the egress of the liquid contents of theanterior portion of the projectile during its flight.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a projectilehypodermic syringe with a valve means constructed and arranged tooperate so as to overcome the problems reiterated above.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a projectile with avalve means which has a positive action and is capable of being openedonly after impact with the animal desired to be treated.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a projectile with avalving means of simple construction and capable of being easilydisassembled for the purpose of replacing or renewing any worn ordamaged parts.

To fulfill the objects of this invention the valve means includes avalve and a hypodermic needle which needle is capable of axial movement,the needle and the valve co-operating so that the valve is closed uponthe rearward movement of the needle and opened upon the forward movementof the needle.

According to this invention the projectile adapted to inject liquidmedicines, drugs and the like into animals, comprises a hollow body, apiston of resilient material within said body capable of axial movementtherein and dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions,closure means for the end of said anterior portion provided with a boreextending axially thereof, a hollow needle positioned in said bore foraxial movement therein, valve means closing said bore for preventingcommunication between the anterior portion and the interior of saidneedle, said anterior portion being adapted to be filled with liquidmedicine, actuating means within said posterior portion normally urgingsaid piston in the direction of said closure means and maintaining saidanterior portion under pressure and means on said needle to close thevalve means when the needle is moved rearwardly of the projectile andopen the valve means when the needle is moved forwardly of theprojectile effective immediately subsequent to the penetration of thehollow needle into the animal by the residual momentum of said needlewhich causes it to be displaced axially and forwardly of said borethereby opening said valve means for providing communication betweensaid anterior portion and the interior of said needle so that saidactuating means forces said piston toward the closure means thusexpelling the liquid contents of the anterior portion through the hollowneedle.

The valve means for use with the projectile of this invention will nowbe further described with reference to the accompanying drawing inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in cross section ofthe projectile of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of one form of the valve means.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of another form of theinvention with the valve closed.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the form of the valve meansof FIGURE 3 showing the valve open.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings the projectile includes a bodygenerally denoted 1 of a hollow cylindrical formation, a piston 2capable of axial movement therein and dividing the body 1 into anteriorand posterior portions 3 and 4 respectively. The valve means is denotedgenerally at 5. The anterior portion contains a liquid medicine or drugand the posterior portion and actuating means for the piston such ascompressed gas. The piston 2 as shown in my above mentioned applicationis of circular cross section and of a resilient material. The piston isprovided with annular grooves 2a defining peripheral upstandingprojections 2b adapted to bear against the inner surface of the body 1to seal the portion 3 from the portion 4. The piston is hollow and itsinterior is open to the rear thereof for communication with theposterior portion 4.

In a preferred form of the valve means 5 as shown in FIGURE 2 there isprovided a valve housing 6 receivable and securable within the anteriorportion 3, a valve 7 receivable within the valve housing 6 and adaptedto be secured and retained therein by the butt end 8 of a closure means9 which is receivable and securable within the valve housing 6 andextends beyond the anterior portion 3. The closure means 9 is providedwith an axial bore 10 therethrough capable of slidably receiving ahypodermic needle 11 the butt end 12 of which is closed and receivablethrough a hole 13 provided in the valve 7, the sliding action of whichneedle 11 may operate the valve means by its butt end 12 alternatelystopping and opening the hole 13.

Access to the bore 14 of the needle 11 may be effected by passages 15provided through the wall thereof.

The axial bore 19 may be divided into two portions, a forward portionand a rearward portion 16, the forward portion having a diameter such asto provide sliding clearances only with the needle 11, and the rearwardportion 16 having a substantially greater diameter than the externaldiameter of the needle 11.

In a further form of this invention as shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4 thebutt end '12 is provided with a nipple 17 which is capable of beingreceived within the hole 13 and when thus received, closing the valve 7.Upon the forward movement of the needle 11 the nipple 17 is withdrawnfrom the hole 13 thereby permitting the egress of the liquid content ofthe anterior portion 3 through the hole 13 into the rearward portion 16,and, by way of passages 15 through the bore 1 1. The passages 15 arepreferably situated immediately beyond or in association with the nipple17.

The valve 7 may be constructed from any resilient material such asrubber and may be of such dimensions as to ensure that a sealing fit isobtained between itself, the nipple 17, and the interior of the valvehousing 6.

The closure means 9 is provided with external screw threading at 18 andat 19, the two resulting screw threaded portions 18 and 19 beingseparated by a waisted formation or annular depression 20. The closuremeans 9 extends beyond the second threaded portion 19 for the purpose ofensuring that adequate support is given to the needle 11 when situatedwithin the bore as aforesaid.

To ensure that the drug or medicine when being expelled through thevalve 7 and into the bore 14 does not escape between the needle 11 andthe forward portion of the axial bore 10 there is provided a resilientsealing washer 21 which may be of such dimensions that a sealing fit isensured between such washer 21 and the external surface 22 of the needle11 and the rearward portion 16 of the axial bore 10.

The nipple 17 may be of such dimensions so as to ensure that the drugmay pass between it and the wall of the rearward portion 16 to gainaccess to the bore 14 through the passages and to ensure that the needle11 cannot be withdrawn from the closure means 9 by virtue of the factthat the nipple 17 will strike the abutment 23 formed at the junction ofthe rearward portion 16 and the forward portion of the axial bore 10.

Thus by this construction as described the initial acceleration whenimparted to the projectile ensures that the valve means 5 will not openin that the inertia of the needle 11 keeps the nipple 17 in positionwithin hole 13. Upon the impact of the projectile with the animal towhich the drug is to be administered the needle 11 penetrates the fleshof the animal until the closure means 9 strikes the flesh of the animalthus halting the movement of the projectile, the momentum of the needle11 then carries the needle 11 on into the flash of the animal giving aforward movement of the needle 11 relative to the projectile thusopening the hole 13 in the valve 7 and permitting the injection of theliquid content of the anterior portion 3 through the needle 11 into theflesh of the animal. Also the fact that the needle 11 is in its rearmostposition during the flight of the projectile with the minimiun length ofneedle 11 projecting from the closure means 9 aids the true flight ofthe projectile and minimises damage caused thereto by impact with theanimal to be dosed.

Assisting the momentum of the needle 11 to open the valve means is thefact that upon the impact of the projectile with the animal, that partof the flesh thereof subjected to the impact is compressed and after theimpact the flesh expands to resume its original shape thus pulling thebody 1 of the projectile away from the needle 11 which is embedded inthe flesh.

It is a feature of this invention whereby the closure means 9 may bescrewed further into the valve housing 6 thus compressing and distortingthe valve 7 to a greater extent which compression or distortion has theeffect of reducing the diameter of the hole 13 thus increasing thepressure of the valve 7 against the nipple 17 and accordingly increasingthe resistance of the nipple 17 to movement through the hole 13. Bybeing able to vary the resistance of the passage of the nipple 17through the valve 7 the operator of the projectile is able to vary theresistance of the needle ll to axial movement. Thus, when it is desiredto project the syringe at a low velocity and when the needle has acorrespondingly low momentum the positive opening of the valve means maybe ensured by reducing the resistance to the passage of the nipplethrough the valve as previously described.

Barb or barbs (generally denoted 24 in FIGURE 3) may be attached to theneedle 11 for the purpose of ensuring that the projectile is securelyembedded in the animal during the injection of the drug. The barbs 24may be formed from pieces of tube 25 whose internal diameter issubstantially identical with the external di ameter of the needle 11part of the piece of tube 25 being cut away so that a barb portion 26extends from the tube 25 so that the latter may be easily fixed. overthe needle 11 and also may be removed if so desired.

In the assembly of the preferred form of the valve means the valvehousing 6 may be secured as by screw threading at 27 within the anteriorportion 3 of the body member 1 leaving sufficient space between theforward end of the valve housing 6 and the forward end of the anteriorportion 3 for a further sealing washer 28 to be placed within and flushwith the end of the anterior portion 3. The space so provided may bebevelled internally at 29 and devoid of any screw threading.

The needle 11 may have its sealing washer 21 placed in positionthereover and then inserted through the bore 10. The barb 24 may then,if so desired, be placed and fixed over the needle 11.

The valve 7 is then so placed within the valve housing 6 so as to haveits hole 13 over an axial bore 30 of a slightly larger diameter thanthat of the nipple 17, provided in the rearward part of the valvinghousing 6 connecting the anterior portion 3 with the interior of thevalve housing 6. A rigid washer 31 having a hole 32 therethrough ofsimilar dimensions to said bore 30 may then be placed over the valve 7and the closure means 9 may then be screwed into the valve housing 6 soas to have its butt end '8 secure the valve 7 at its periphery betweenthe washer 31 and the bottom of the valve housing 6.

The internal screw threading at 18 of the valve housing 6 may terminateshort of the bottom of the interior thereof to ensure that a sealing fitis provided between the wall of the interior of the valve housing 6 andthe valve 7.

The sealing washer 28 may then be placed over the closure means 9 sothat the internal surface of the washer 28 seats in the annulardepression 20 and the peripheral surface bears against the bevelled edge29.

A gas sealing washer 3'3 constructed of a suitable re silient materialmay then be placed over the closure means 9 the periphery 34 of whichwasher 33 overlies the body member 1 for the purpose of sealing theprojectile against the bore of the barrel of a projecting device, suchas that described in my co-pending United State application Serial No.238,412. A nut 35 may then be threaded onto the 7 forward threadedportion 19 to press the gas sealing washer 33 onto the washer 28 tocompress and so extrude said washer 28 against the annular depression 20and the bevelled edge 29.

In order to ensure that the piston 2 does not come in contact with theinternal thread provided at 27, the rear end of the valve housing 6 isformed with a rearwardly extending threadless portion 36 of a reduceddiameter against which the piston 2 may abut when there is liquidcontained with the anterior portion 3.

There is a further advantage in the provision of a valve housing aspreviously described in that it retains the piston within the body ofthe syringe when the valve means is assembled or disassembled.

As previously described the projectile hypodermic syringe may containany desired quantity, (not exceeding the maximum capacity of thesyringe) of drug or medicine to be injected and this desired quantity ofdrug may be loaded into anterior portion 3 'by opening the valve meanseifected by the forward movement of the needle 11 and connecting theneedle 1E1 to a normal type of hypodermic syringe filled with the drugor medicine where upon the operation of said syringe, the drug ormediicne is transferred therefrom into the anterior potion 3. When thedesired quantity of drug or medicine has been transferred into theanterior portion 3 the valve means may then be closed by the rearwardmovement of the needle -11 and the normal syringe disconnectedtherefrom. By this method of filling the accuracy of the dose of drug ormedicine to be administered to the animal to be treated is ensured.

This invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity to theshowings in the drawings but changes or modifications may be madetherein so long as such changes or modifications mark no materialdeparture from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I do claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates of America is:

1. A projectile adapted to inject liquid medicines, drugs and the likeinto animals, comprising a hollow body, a piston of resilient materialwithin said body capable of axial movement therein and dividing the bodyinto anterior and posterior portions, closure means for the end of saidanterior portion provided with a bore extending axially thereof, ahollow needle positioned in said bore for axial movement therein, valvemeans closing said bore for preventing communication between theanterior portion and the interior of said needle, said anterior portionbeing adapted to be filled with the liquid medicine, actuating meanswithin said posterior portion normally urging said piston in thedirection of said closure means and main taining said anterior portionunder pressure, said valve means including two co-acting components, oneof said components being provided at the rear end of said bore and theother adjacent the rear end of said needle co operable with said onecomponent for closing said valve means when the needle is movedrearwardly respecting the body and for opening the valve means when theneedle is moved forward effective immediately subsequent to thepenetration of the needle into the animal by the residual momentum ofthe needle causing the needle to be displaced axially and forwardly ofthe bore so that the actu ating means forces the piston towards theclosure thereby expelling the contents of the anterior portion throughthe hollow needle.

2. A projectile adapted to inject liquid medicines, drugs and the likeinto animals, comprising a hollow cylindrical body, a piston ofresilient material within said body capable of axial movement thereinand dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions, closuremeans for the end of said anterior portion provided with a boreextending axially thereof, a hollow needle positioned in said bore foraxial movement therein, valve means closing said bore for preventingcommunication between said anterior portion and the interior of saidneedle, said anterior portion being adapted to be filled with liquidmedicines, drugs and the like, a gas compressed in said posteriorportion constituting an actuating means for moving said piston in thedirection of said closure means and for maintaining said anteriorportion under pressure when the valve means closes the bore, said pistonhaving annular grooves around the periphery thereof for forming upstanding peripheral projections, said piston being hollow and open to saidposterior portion whereby the pressure of said gas presses saidperipheral projections against the inner surface of said body therebyproviding a seal be tween said anterior and posterior portions, andmeans on said needle to close the valve means when the needle is movedrearwardly of the projectile and to open the valve means when the needleis moved forwardly of the projectile effective immediately subsequent tothe penetration of the hollow needle into the animal by the residualmomentum of said needle which causes it to be displaced axially andforwardly of said bore thereby opening said valve means for providingcommunication between said anterior portion and the interior of saidneedle so that said actuating means forces said piston toward theclosure means thus expelling the liquid contents of the anterior portionthrough the hollow needle.

3. A projectile adapted to inject liquid medicines, drugs and the likeinto animals, comprising a hollow cylindrical body, a piston ofresilient material within said body capable of axial movement thereinand dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions, means forclosing the end of said anterior portion, said closure means beingformed as a nipple extending forwardly of the end of said anteriorportion and provided with a bore extending axially therethrough, ahollow needle having a closed rear end positioned in said bore for axialsliding movement therein, said closure means having a butt end, a valvehousing secured within said anterior portion having an axial holetherein capable of receiving the rear end of the needle, a valve withinsaid valve housing adapted to be secured and retained therein by saidbutt end of said closure means the sliding movement of said needleoperating the valve by having its rear end alternately stopping andopening said hole, said anterior portion being adapted to be filled withliquid medicines, drugs and the like, a gas compressed in said posteriorportion constituting an actuating means for moving said piston in the direction of said closure means and for maintaining said anterior portionunder pressure when said valve closes said bore in said nipple, saidpiston having annular grooves around the periphery thereof for formingupstanding peripheral projections, said piston being hollow and open tosaid posterior portion whereby the pressure of said gas presses saidperipheral projections against the inner surface of said body therebyproviding a seal between said anterior and posterior portions, and meanson said needle to close the valve when the needle is moved rearwardly ofthe projectile and to open the valve when the needle is moved forwardlyof the projectile effective immediately subsequent to the penetration ofthe hollow needle into the animal by the residual momentum of saidneedle which causes it to be displaced axially and forwardly of saidbore thereby opening said valve for providing communication between saidanterior portion and the interior of said needle so that said actuatingmeans forces said piston toward the closure means thus expelling theliquid contents of the anterior portion through the hollow needle.

4. The projectile as claimed in claim 3 in which said valve is definedby a rubber disc having a centrally disposed hole therein allowing thepassage therethrough of the closed rear end of said needle to preventthe passage therethrough of the liquid contents of said anterior portionwhen the rear end of said needle is moved axially into the hole in saiddisc.

5. A projectile adapted to inject liquid medicines, drugs and the likeinto animals, comprising a hollow body, a piston of resilient materialwithin said body capable of axial movement therein and dividing the bodyinto anterior and posterior portions, closure means for the end of saidanterior portion provided with a bore extending axially therethrough, ahollow needle located in at least a part of said axially extending bore,valve means for closing said bore for preventing communication betweensaid anterior portion and the interior of said hollow needle, saidanterior portion being adapted to be filled with liquid medicines, drugsand the like, actuating means within said posterior portion normallyurging said piston in the direction of said closure means andmaintaining said anterior portion under pressure, and means on saidneedle to close the valve means when the needle is moved rearwardly ofthe projectile and to open the valve means when the needle is movedforwardly of the projectile effective immediately subsequent to thepenetration of the hollow needle into the animal by the residualmomentum of said needle which causes it to be displaced axially andforwardly of said bore thereby opening said valve means for providingcommunication between said anterior portion and the interior of saidneedle so that said actuating means forces said piston toward theclosure means thus expelling the liquid contents of the anterior portionthrough the hollow needle.

6. A projectile adapted to inject liquid medicines, drugs and the likeinto animals comprising a hollow body, a piston of resilient materialwithin said body capable of axial movement therein and dividing the bodyinto anterior and posterior portions, closure means for the end of saidanterior portion provided with a bore extending axially therethrough, ahollow needle located in at least a part of said axially extending bore,valve means for closing said bore for preventing communication betweensaid anterior portion and the interior of said hollow needle, saidanterior portion being adapted to be filled with liquid medicines, drugsand the like, a gas compressed in said posterior portion constituting anactuating means for moving said piston in the direction of said closuremeans and means on said needle to close the Valve means when the needleis moved rearwardly of the projectile and to open the valve means whenthe needle is moved forwardly of the projectile efiective immediatelysubsequent to the penetration of the hollow needle into the animal bythe residual momentum of said needle which causes it to be displacedaxially and forwardly of said bore thereby opening said valve means forproviding Communication 'between said anterior portion and the interiorof said needle so that said actuating means forces said piston towardthe closure means thus expelling the liquid contents of the anteriorportion through the hollow needle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 20 2,168,437 8/1939 Buercklin128-2181 2,699,167 1/1955 Rai-che 128-216 2,923,243 2/1960 Crockford.

FOREIGN PATENTS 933,976 8/1963 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. D. L. BAKER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A PROJECTILE ADAPTED TO INJECT LIQUID MEDICINES, DRUGS AND THE LIKEINTO ANIMALS, COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY, A PISTON OF RESILIENT MATERIALWITHIN SAID BODY CAPABLE OF AXIAL MOVEMENT THEREIN AND DIVIDING THE BODYINTO ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR PORTIONS, CLOSURE MEANS FOR THE END OF SAIDANTERIOR PORTION PROVIDED WITH A BORE EXTENDING AXIALLY THEREOF, AHOLLOW NEEDLE POSITIONED IN SAID BORE FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT THEREIN, VALVEMEANS CLOSING SAID BORE FOR PREVENTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEANTERIOR PORTION AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID NEEDLE, SAID ANTERIOR PORTIONBEING ADAPTED TO BE FILLED WITH THE LIQUID MEDICINE, ACTUATING MEANSWITHIN SAID POSTERIOR PORTION NORMALLY URGING SAID PISTON IN THEDIRECTION OF SAID CLOSURE MEANS AND MAINTAINING SAID ANTERIOR PORTIONUNDER PRESSURE, SAID VALVE MEANS INCLUDING TWO CO-ACTING COMPONENTS, ONEOF SAID COMPONENTS BEING PROVIDED AT THE REAR END OF SAID BORE AND THEOTHER ADJACENT THE REAR END OF SAID NEEDLE COOPERABLE WITH SAID ONECOMPONENT FOR CLOSING SAID VALVE MEANS WHEN THE NEEDLE IS MOVEDREARWARDLY RESPECTING THE BODY AND FOR OPENING THE VALVE MEANS WHEN THENEEDLE IS MOVED FORWARD EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY SUBSEQUENT TO THEPENETRATION OF THE NEEDLE INTO THE ANIMAL BY THE RESIDUAL MOMENTUM OFTHE NEEDLE CAUSING THE NEEDLE TO BE DISPLACED AXIALLY AND FOWARDLY OFTHE BORE SO THAT THE ACTUATING MEANS FORCES THE PISTON TOWARDS THECLOSURE THEREBY EXPELLING THE CONTENTS OF THE ANTERIOR PORTION THROUGHTHE HOLLOW NEEDLE.